Mom of six in court for 'joint'

'assaulted': Rachel Mohammed is taken to San Fernando Magistrates' Court yesterday.

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A BREAST-FEEDING single mother of six appeared in San Fernando Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with having marijuana.

Magistrate Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds said she was concerned that defendant Rachel Mohammed could be passing the drug onto her youngest child.

But while Mohammed admitted that she had asked for the marijuana-filled cigarette she said: "I don't smoke while the baby in hand."

Mohammed told the court she is the mother of children ages nine, seven, five, three and the last is an infant.

At around 6.45 a.m. yesterday, Mohammed was spotted walking along King's Wharf, San Fernando with a cigarette of unusual length.

The hairdresser, who said she also sells fish, was arrested by constable Dev Sahadeo and taken to Marabella Police Station.

Mohammed, 31, of Rousillac, pleaded guilty to having the 1.8 grammes of marijuana but claimed she was assaulted after her arrest. She said an officer pulled her false hair off her head while at the police station.

A note was made by the magistrate.

But Ramsumair-Hinds said: "One of the things which troubles me is that you smoke while breast-feeding. This is harmful to the infant. I don't think that could be easily ignored."

The magistrate said that rather than impose a fine on Mohammed, she wanted to instead encourage her to change her behaviour.

She placed Mohammed on a $5,000 bond and allowed her the opportunity to attend Narcotics Anonymous classes.

Mohammed is to keep a record of her attendance and return to court on February 5 for sentencing. —NBB